At Evergreen, we believe that listening and learning from individuals who are part of a specific community and/or actively work with members of that community is important. Aanya Wood is a field educator with Evergreen where she trains staff and other healthcare providers across Western New York around HIV treatment and prevention, sex worker health, gender-affirming care, harm reduction and hepatitis C. She was honored as one of Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under 30 for 2021. This essay by Aanya was the first in our blog's new "Guest Voices" series. - Melissa Meyer
DECEMBER
17th is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (IDEVASW). Founded in 2003 by Annie Sprinkle and the Sex Workers
Outreach Project (SWOP) USA, this day was chosen as IDEVASW in memory of the 71 victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington. Evergreen Health is proud to serve as an advocate and ally for sex workers.
Sex work is an umbrella term for describing the consensual transaction between adults of sex and sexualized
services in exchange for money, drugs, housing or other resources. Sex workers are escorts, strippers, professional BDSM (erotic practices involving bondage and other power dynamics) workers and many other professions. This profession has been around for thousands of years and criminalization does not eliminate sex work, it only pushes it underground and stigmatizes it.
People in the sex trades face higher rates of violence and they very rarely get any sort of justice when they
experience it. Sex work is not inherently violent or dangerous, but because sex work is often illegal and is heavily stigmatized, workers face serious barriers to accessing services like healthcare. Sex workers are also more impacted by epidemics like HIV and the overdose crisis.
At Evergreen, we understand it can be scary to access healthcare when you are afraid of being persecuted or
judged. It is our responsibility to make sure that sex workers feel safe, affirmed and empowered as their whole and authentic selves when they access services. We provide judgment-free care to individuals of all lived experiences.
Supporting people in the sex trades is part of Evergreen’s commitment to harm reduction. We understand that
many of our patients who are sex workers are trans people, men who have sex with men and/or from communities of color. Therefore, it is important to us to value the health of all sex workers in Western New York as part of our commitment to LGBTQ+ health, women’s health, drug user health and racial equity.
Evergreen Health understands that sex work is real and valid work and we believe that sex workers deserve safety
in their workplaces and in their day-to-day lives. We are proud to honor December 17th as the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers and we are committed to meeting the health needs of sex workers in our community.
The red umbrella has become a symbol of advocacy and support for sex workers around the world. In 2001, Slovenian artist Tadej Pogacar collaborated with sex workers in Venice, Italy to call attention to the poor working conditions and human rights abuses that sex workers face. Participants marched holding red umbrellas in a show of resistance and solidarity. The red umbrella was soon adopted by the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe and in 2010 Audacia Ray, a former sex worker, founded the Red Umbrella Program to support and advocate for sex workers in the United States. The Red Umbrella Project works to address the challenges faced by sex workers such as the increased risk of HIV/STIs, violence, lack of economic opportunities and healthcare disparities, particularly among the trans community. They also fight stigma and discrimination against sex workers by society and the legal system, which contribute to violence and indifference from the community. The red umbrella is also used by the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, observed each December 17th worldwide.
The first payday of the new year will be Friday, January 14, 2022. Please take a moment to check your pay statement carefully, and immediately after it becomes available, in order to ensure that your deductions and benefits are all correct. To review your deductions, log into ADP WorkforceNow and follow link path: MYSELF > Pay > Pay Statements (you'll find your benefits deduction information by viewing your current pay statement, under the blue section for "Benefits"). If you need assistance, contact Kim Clarke on the Evergreen Human Resources team at the email address below.
I came back because Evergreen and Pride are great places to work. - Mel LeMay
Evergreen has consistently ranked as one of Buffalo Business First's Best Places to Work in Western New York. Even so, for a variety of reasons, sometimes staff members leave. And, also for a variety of reasons, sometimes they come back. The "Boomerang Club" is large and growing larger all the time. Connections chatted with one of its members, Mel LeMay, to get their unique perspectives on life at Evergreen. Mel first joined Evergreen as a medical technician in the Harm Reduction Center's low threshold MAT program. "I was part of the amazing original team," they said. After years of thinking about it, Mel left Evergreen to pursue their Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. "My plan was always to come back," they said. "But I came back because Evergreen and Pride are great places to work, because harm reduction resonates with me and because we’re doing the work I want to do: providing critical care and services to folks who often get pushed to the margins, overlooked or turned away." Many of our boomerangers describe the many changes they came back to after years away from Evergreen. Mel's story is a bit different in that regard. "I was only technically gone for one year," they explained. "I was able to come back as an intern my second year of grad school, so a lot was the same. But even in that short time the organization had grown!" We're happy to have you back at the Pride Center, Mel!
Left: Emma Hathaway and her spouse met their newborn niece Zoe Grace. Says Emma, "She is perfect!" Center: Team Evergreen wore red for World AIDS Day on December 1. Right: MOCHA team decked out in holiday apparel.
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This is a call for any questions you or your teams may have related to the collection, quality and reporting of data, information security, charts, dashboards, Excel tips and so on. Email your questions to deardata@evergreenhs.org and we’ll provide answers and advice in Connections’ monthly Dear Data column. Never fear, your identity will not be shared in Connections. Instead, DD will use a witty name relating to your question. So, be sure to send along any and all of your data questions or conundrums. See you next month! - DD
If you have any questions about COVID-19, please send an email to COVID19questions@evergreenhs.org. Mark your calendar! The submission
For questions about Evergreen’s COVID-19 vaccination program, you can email COVID19vaccinequestions @evergreenhs.org. Or, visit ADP or evergreenhs.org for more information.
deadline for the February 2022 issue of Connections is Wednesday, January 19. Be sure to get your content in before the deadline to guarantee placement. Kids, pets, recipes -we want to share them all! Send to EvergreenConnections via Outlook.
Resolutions are on the rise. Approximately 32% of Americans made New Year's resolutions for 2021, up from 28% the year before. Less clear is whether the success rate of those resolutions rose, as well. A study from the University of Scranton found that 23% of people who made resolutions gave up within two weeks. The same study found that only 19% stuck with their resolutions for a year or more. If you make a New Year's resolution (or more than one), here are some tips to help you beat the odds and succeed.
CREATE A MEASURABLE GOAL | Be specific! Create measurable goals like, "I want to go to the
gym three nights per week." You'll have a defined target to aim for. Goals can be adjusted up if you're succeeding or down if you're struggling.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS | It's natural for motivation to wane a few weeks in. Prepare
yourself for that dip. Make bad habits inconvenient and good habits convenient. Store the sugary snacks in a hard to reach place. Keep your workout gear packed and ready to go. You're more likely to do things that feel easy, even when your motivation declines.
PLAN FOR OBSTACLES | Temptations and obstacles can derail you from your resolution. Think
about challenges you're likely to encounter in the first weeks after establishing your resolution. Planning ahead for likely obstacles can help you handle the unexpected ones that crop up as well.
START WHEN YOU'RE READY | There's no need to launch your resolution on January 1st. That's
not to say you need to wait until you feel fully confident before starting (that may never happen). But make sure you're committed to the goal and you've thought through what you'll need to do and how you're going to do it. Don't create a resolution just because you feel pressured to do so in January.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS | Use an app or a calendar to check off the days you work on your goal. Or
create a chart, spreadsheet or graph to help you visualize your progress. Review your efforts periodically to help you stay on course when it feels as though you're not making any headway (which is common). Also, keep in mind that progress isn't always steady and constant.
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES | When (not if) you make a mistake, learn from your misstep. In
fact, one study showed that people who were successful in maintaining their resolutions tended to slip up at least 14 times. Successful individuals said they'd found ways to turn their mistakes into opportunities to grow stronger and become better.
January Birthdays Linda Scalise..................................... January 2 Ventanese Palmer............................ January 3 Phillip Aris.......................................... January 4 Ronda Ivory....................................... January 5 James Thompson............................ January 5 Alexis Pena........................................ January 6 Josh Matecki.................................... January 6 Tracy Eichelberger........................... January 8 Christina Monroy.............................. January 10 Eric Wilson......................................... January 10 Natalie Gerdy.................................... January 11 Megan Fagyas.................................. January 11 Glendalisse Lopez............................ January 12 Shelby Maberry................................ January 13 Emily Ryan......................................... January 15 Avalene Musik................................... January 17 Richard Smiley.................................. January 17 Bridget Strong................................... January 17 Alexandria Matyas........................... January 18 Murray Wire....................................... January 20 Ricardo Quiros.................................. January 21 Samantha Gaerte............................. January 21 Kirsten Smith.................................... January 22 Jillian Ortwein................................... January 22 Jessie Dorman................................. January 22 Katheryn Richards........................... January 23 DeAirra Burroughs-Moore.............. January 23 Sarah Stimpson................................ January 23 Annette Pabon.................................. January 24 Isaac Resto Reyes............................ January 25 Emily Tyler......................................... January 30 Sarah Smith...................................... January 30 Lindsey Kelly..................................... January 31 James DeGarmo.............................. January 31
January Anniversaries Amanda Honan..................................... 1 Year
Thank You!
Roberty Styles....................................... 1 Year
Thank you to everyone who completed the annual employee engagement
Megan Fagyas....................................... 1 Year
survey. The time you took to complete the survey and the feedback you
Shawn Caldwell..................................... 2 Years
provided is greatly appreciated. The survey responses help company
Mariana Gonzalez................................. 3 Years
leaders understand the day-to-day work and get a pulse on how
Crystal Pereira-Finley........................... 3 Years
employees are really doing. Stay tuned for the results from the survey in
Brittany Warham................................... 3 Years
the upcoming months.
Kristy Mangel......................................... 3 Years
Matthew Iwanski-Jackson.................. 1 Year
Congratulations Manager Training Program Graduates!
Zachary Marchese................................ 3 Years Jessica Glaser....................................... 3 Years Ronda Ivory............................................ 4 Years Yolanda Sims......................................... 4 Years
The Manager’s Training Program was created to help support Evergreen,
Kimberly Johnson................................. 4 Years
Pride and CAS leadership in their roles. Congratulations to the following
Heidi Buesink......................................... 4 Years
employees for completing the program in 2021:
Katherine Mego..................................... 4 Years
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Rob Baird
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Kyle Berberich
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Kim Lombard
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Christine Baczkiewicz
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Gerrod Bennett
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Nicole Coonly
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Liz Whipple
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Erin Pepicello
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Byron McKinney
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Sam Gearte
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Amanda Honan
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Kelly Craig
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Julie Falk
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Kate Gallivan
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Richard Ridenour
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Christine Marrano
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Dennis Kraft
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Marlyn Moore
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Meghan Canfield
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Amy Usiak
This program is required for all employees in leadership positions across the organization. If you are interested in hearing more about this program, please contact Jocelyn Leising.
Kimberly Clarke..................................... 5 Years Jessica Schanne................................... 5 Years Kadie Desbordes................................... 5 Years Brianna Barrett...................................... 6 Years Jillian Fanning........................................ 6 Years Harold Colburn...................................... 7 Years Rebekah Bongiorno.............................. 7 Years Grant Rogers.......................................... 7 Years Anna Ihle................................................. 9 Years Magali Maldonado................................ 9 Years Lavine Hatten......................................... 9 Years Ileana Hernandez-Cromer................... 11 Years Victoria De Leon..................................... 11 Years Andrew Kiener....................................... 11 Years Nichole Frank......................................... 13 Years Kevin Bidtah........................................... 22 Years
The Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council exists to ensure diversity and inclusion within the workplace by leading, promoting and guiding efforts that will enable our organization to be more effective in meeting the needs of our diverse employees, patients and communities. Members are comprised of Evergreen Health, Community Access Services and Pride Center of Western New York employees ranging from front line staff to senior leadership. Meet your D&I Leadership Council members:
Maria Cruz, director of treatment and prevention adherence Chris Mihalitsas, corporate compliance specialist Stephanie Mejia, director of MRT housing services Marlyn Moore, public safety manager Kimberly Martin, medical records specialist Dylan Schlosser, substance use counselor Lauren Jamieson, transgender healthcare services medical case manager Ventenese Palmer, financial counseling coordinator Brittany Price, lead LPN Jacob Perrello, senior director of analytics and reporting Jasmine Padilla, data and application systems support I Jocelyn Leising, employee experience coordinator Tiffany Valentin, diversity and inclusion project manager Kimberly Brown, director Community Access Services of WNY Kelly Craig, director Pride Center of WNY Ekua Mends-Aidoo, chief people and diversity officer Ray Ganoe, CEO of Evergreen Health
Watch for more from the new Leadership Council and its members in upcoming issues of Connections.
Left: The Harm Reduction team showing off their swag. Below left: Dawn Trotter prepares for a lunch meeting. Below right: Supportive Services teams pose in their holiday outfits.
Matt Sydor and Michael Blasdell have the Buffalo Bills spirit! Thank you Brittany Hesson for the photographs..
There is a special Buffalo Bills ticket offer for Evergreen employees! Discounted tickets are available for games at Highmark Stadium against the Atlanta Falcons (1/2/22) and the New York Jets (1/9/22). Go to https://fevo.me/3uOfDyD and use the promo code 21EVERGREEN.
Publisher/Layout John Carocci
Copy Editor Melissa Meyer
Contributors Jocelyn Leising Nina Smith Aanya Wood Julie Vaughan Heather Wilson Kimberly Clarke Melissa Meyer John Carocci Connections is the monthly newsletter for employees and board members of Evergreen Health and its affilliates, the Pride Center of Western New York and Community Access Services. Please send us your story ideas, photos, feedback or just a friendly hello at Evergreen Connections via Outlook.